Finding Treasures

Special coins are timeless and the memories associated with them will last a lifetime.
Which coins have a high value? Here are a few that surprised their owners after coming into our shop:

At the top of the list is a 1917 over 18 D, Buffalo nickel. The coin value was $17,000. This was a complete shock to the customer, and he used the money to travel with his family to Europe. Most Buffalo nickels are not worth a high dollar value. We sell common full date Buffalo Nickels in the shop for approximately 60 cents while a worn Buffalo sells for 18 cents. This 1917/18-D Buffalo nickel was a rare treasure to find among an accumulation of coins.

Next is a 1908-S Twenty Dollar Gold coin that we paid over $10,000. A high grade Saint-Gaudens piece made in 1908 San Francisco is scarce. The client traveled over an hour to our shop because of a referral. The highest offer was $1500 before his visit to my shop. Current retail values on common coins is in the $1400 neighborhood, but needless to say, he left pleased with our offer.

I once received a call on two coins in a dresser drawer. The customer chose not to spend the coins until getting them checked out. One coin was a 1931-S valued at fifty dollars. Most pre-1959 cents are common and sell just over three cents each. It is rare to find rarities in accumulations, but there are exceptions, particularly accumulations gathered before the 1950’s.

Lastly, a client walked into our shop with a small bag of silver bars. One of the bars was a 10oz bar of Platinum valued at over ten thousand dollars. The customer was ecstatic. The lesson here is that Silver can mimic platinum, palladium, and rhodium. It is imperative to look and read the hallmark to identify rare precious metal bars.

What is your special coin (s)? A priceless sentimental coin or a valuable treasure? Regardless, do not clean your coins! This includes dark and dingy coins! Unless you want finger prints on your coins, try to avoid touching the obverse or reverse and only handle on the edge. Keep coins stored as found and then seek professional help from a Numismatist. A Guide Book of United States coins or the Red Book is a great reference for pricing or visit us today to have your coins evaluated.